Spring-tire.



E. K. RABEY.

SPRING TIRE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6. 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

sir

Env/'Ann K. RABEY, or Deanes, VIRGINIA.

SPRING-TIRE. s

-Speccation of Letters Eatent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application iled Becemoer 16, 191.4. Serial No. 877,558. f v

To all tc/wm t may concern.

Be it known that I,` EDWARD K. RABEY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Deanes, in the county of Nansemond and State of Virginia, vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Tires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

vli/Iy invention relates to improvements in spring tires for vehicle wheels, and it is especially intended to provide a resilient construction which will give the desired cushioning effect as the vehicle travels over the road, and yetV will be strong, durable and efficient, and not likely to get out of order.

My invention is also intended to provide an improved resilient construction of the character described which may be cheaply constructed without requiring expensive material, or difficult or expensive machine work.

liv/Iy invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the several views.

Figure lis a side elevation of the complete wheel, parts being broken awa-y; Fig. 2 shows a section on the line QZ of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 3 and L are details of the intermediate springs used in the device shown invFigs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 5 is a modification showing the structure with these intermediate springs removed.

A represents the hub of the wheel provided with suitable spokes B and a felly G on which the felly band D is mounted in the usual way. rIhe construction of wheel thus described differs only from the ordinary wheel inthat the spokes are comparatively short and the felly is of comparatively small diameter relative to the complete diameter of the wheel.

Outside of the felly band D is secured the metal ring E, in the form of a channel, with side flanges e, and to the bottom of this channeled ring E the inner ends of the strips F are secured, which strips are made of resilient metal, such as spring steel, and are curved as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the outer ends f of these springs F overlapping each other as shown in Fig. 1, and being secured together by rivets f. These overlapping ends form a tread for the wheel, which may be supplemented by an auxiliary tread secured thereto, as shown at G in Fig. 5.

In the structure shown in Fig. l, between the. spring strips F are preferablymounted intermediate or auxiliary springs H andI, which are normally metal strips'bent when assembledinto the shape shown in Figs.r l, 3 and fi; and when thus bent they tend to The springs when` out of place tend to straighten out as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus it will be seen that all thesprings used are, live springs.

ping ends of the contiguous springs F,'and the other end it projects between the two contiguous springs F and is riveted to the outer one as shown in Fig. l.

The other auxiliary spring I is U-shaped, and has one end c' riveted to the back of the spring H, and 'the other end z" riveted to the inner' end of the corresponding spring F and secured with it to the channeled ring E. Thus, these several springs F, H and I are all connected together, and to the felly of the wheel, and the outer end of the springs F and both ends of the springs H form part of the periphery of the wheel, and thus provide a very stiff and at the same time a resilient periphery which may be used without any additional reinforce if desired; but in certain cases it is desirable to provide an additional tire arrangement such, for instance, as the strip of leather, or other suitable yielding material G, shown in Fig.v 5, which is fastened. to the circumference of the wheel in any convenient way. This strip G will lessen the noise and will afford a better frictional engagement between the circumference of the wheel and the ground. It will be seen that I provide a wheel composed of a series of springs bound together, and when inequalities of the road are encountered these springs will transmit the strains from one to the other throughout a large portion of the body of the wheel, and will thus distribute and ease same.; thus lessening the wear on the individual springs, and also the strains thereon, and insuring the durability and efficiency of the device. I prefer to have these auxiliary springs I-I and I included inthe structure shown in Fig. l, but where light vehicles are used, it may be feasible, under certain `circum straighten out, thus forming a liverspring.

One end IL of the springs H is riveted tothe overlapstances, to construct the device as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be obvious that the length of the spokes may be varied at Will, thus reducing the diameter of the felly, and rendering it possible to have the spring area of the WheelV of greater or less radial diameter, as desired. Moreover, it Will be seen that an ordinary Wheel may be cut down to iit a felly of small radial diameter, as shown, and the herein described spring attachment applied thereto'. Y

lt Will also beobvicus that the springs F, H and I may be made heavier or lighterl to meet the requirements oi the vehicle body and of the load to be carried thereby.

lt Will be obvious that various inodiica tions might be made in the herein described device, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts Without departing Jfrom the spirit of iny invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A resilient tire arrangement for Wheels, comprising a series of metal strips bent to their outer ends overlapping the adjacent springs and securedthereto, with a series of intermediate resilient strips bent to forni substantially U-shaped springs connected to the first-mentioned springs and to each other, the Whole forming a compound spring tire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I ail-iX my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD K. RABEYn lNitnesses ERNEST VViLKINsoN, EDWIN J. BELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents` Washington, D. C. 

